Today in History - 1798

The first brawl in the U.S. House of Repre- sentatives was witnessed by legislators. Congressmen Matthew Lyon and Roger Griswold duked it out right there on the House floor. Lyon became the first member to have an ethics violation charge filed against him when he was accused of "gross indecency" for spitting on Mr. Griswold.

Lyon also has the distinction of being the only person to be elected to Congress while in jail. In 1798, Lyon was found guilty of violating the Alien and Sedition Acts, which prohibited malicious writing of the American government or its officials. Lyon was the first person to be put to trial for violating the acts on charges of criticizing Federalist president John Adams and disagreeing with Adams' decision to go to war against France. Lyon was sentenced to four months in jail and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and court costs. While in jail, Lyon won election to the Sixth Congress. Lyon would get his revenge on Adams after the election of 1800, which ended in an electoral tie. Matthew Lyon cast the deciding vote for Jefferson.